Sanderling
Calidris alba
Identification Tips:
- Small shorebird
- Medium-length, thin, dark bill
- Dark legs
- Wide, white wing stripe
- Black line on rump extends onto tail
- Sexes similar
Adult alternate:
- Reddish head, back and breast with black spots
- Gray wings
- White belly
Adult basic:
- Pale gray head and upperparts
- Faint, partial gray breast band
- White underparts
- Indistinct white supercilium and dark eyeline
Juvenile:
- Checkered upperparts
- Black patch in front of folded wing
- Faint, partial gray breast band
- White underparts
- Face pattern bolder than adult basic
Similar species:
In alternate plumage, Red Knot and rare Curlew Sandpiper also have a
reddish face and breast but are obviously larger and have more extensive red
breasts. In basic plumage, the Sanderling is very similar to smaller "peeps"
but has a more obvious wing stripe.